Engine



2-Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

L. B. GREER.

REGIPROGATING ENGINE..

Nor. 252,579.. Patented Jan. 1'7, 1882.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

L. B. GREER.

RBGIPROGATING ENGINE.

Patented Jan. 17,1882.

.lllllillll gli Darte "rares PATENT Prien..

LAUGHLIN B. GREER, OF VASHINGTON, D. C., ASSIGNOR TO C. F. KEYS, MARCUS GREEK, AND CHAUNCEY GREER, ALL OF SAME PLACE.

RECIPROCATING ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. V252,579, dated January 17, 1882.

Application tiled June 3, i881.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LAUGHLIN B. Ganan, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Washington city, District ofOolumbia, have invent ed a new Reciprocating Steam-Engine, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a reciprocatingsteamengine which consists of a semicircular cylinder containing an oscillating hollow piston, with two induction steam-ports,which allow the steam to pass through and to the end of the hollow piston, where it enters the steam-chamber, and there exhausts through the exit-ports of the cylinder, caused by the movement of the hollow piston. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the engine; Fig. 2, a plan thereof; Fig. 3, a section through the steam-cylinder, Fig. 4, a cross-section on the line a' x of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a section on the sante line as Fig. 3, with the piston in a different position. Fig. 6 is a cross-section through the steam-cylinder on the line of the rock-shaft of the piston, showing the application of a disk to control the steam-induction port, and Fig. 7 a section through the same figure on the line yyofFig. 6.

My invention relates to steam-engines in which is employed an oscillating piston; and it consists in forming the induction andexhaust ports in the oscillating piston so that the steam will pass through the piston into the steam-cylinder, and after acting upon the piston then to pass out through the exhaust-pipe formed in the rocking shaft and governed by the oscillation of the piston. Y It further consists in the construction and combination of parts hereinafter particularly described, and afterward sought to be specifically defined by the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A indicates the steam-cylinder ofsemi-cyli n drical form, provided with a separately-forrned top, B, secured thereto by bolts and nuts, the joints being suitably packed. This top is provided with a pipe, C, for the escape ofthe steam from the exhaust-port, and about the escape-pipe, on the inside of the cylinder, is made concave, so as to receive a portion of the rocking shaft.

(No model.)

Within the cylinder is an oscillating piston, D, which is journaled by means of the shaft E in suitable bearings or boxes on the sides of the cylinder. l prefer to have one'end ofthe shaft E have its hearings inarecess, a, made in one side of the cylinder,while the portion of it near the other end is reduced in diameter and has its bearings in the stuffing-box shown, or in any other one suited to the purpose. If desired, however, both ends of the shaft may 6o project through the ends of the cylinder and have each a pitman, F, connected at one end to a crank on the shaft and at the other end to a crank on the shaft of the fly-wheel G or band-wheel, from which machinery may be driven. /Vhen the sha-ft projects from both sides of thecylinderone end will pass through the steam-chestinsteadofstopping shortinside the cylinder, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and the steam-supply pipe will be changed from the 7o point shown in the drawings to any suitable position in view of the change in the parts, such arrangements ofparts readilysuggesting themselves to the mind of a skilled machinist.

In the end ofthe rocking shaft E, at points opposite to each other, so that in the oscillation ot' the piston first one and then the other will come next to the escape-pipe C, are two steam-induction ports, H, each one extending inwardly, then branching in the direction of 8o the piston, and then ruiming the length ofthe piston, until it nearly reaches the lower end of the piston, where each opens on the face ofthe piston along which it runs, as shown in Figs.

3 and 4. Steam enters first one and then the 85 other of these ports through the steam-port b in the partition l, which separates the steamchest from the interior ofthe cylinder A.

The steam-chest J is formed on the side ofl cylinder A, and is supplied with steam from 9o the boiler through pipe K. The steam passes out of the lower end of the induction-port and bears against the face of the piston, filling the space between the cylinder and face of the piston,and forcing the piston forward until the 9'5 other port is brought next to the steam-port b, when steam passes into the porton that side of the piston and forces the piston hack, and thus the piston is caused to oscillate, and through its rocking shaft and outside connecroo tions impart lnotion to the machine. The port for the exhaust of stealn from the cylinder on either face of the piston is formed by a recess, L, in the top of the rockillg shaft E, at a poillt where it will opell on top into the stealn escape pipe C, alld collcave theleunder, and it extends transversely across the shaft, so that by the oscillatioll of lthe pistoll it will open first on one side and then the other side of the piston as the piston is moved back and forth.

In a twelve-horse-power engine the exhaust port or recess L is about seven inches in length alld one illch ill depth. The exhaust-port is iliade so that wllell the pistoll hangs perpelldieularly the exhaust is completely eut olf, and when it has passed the perpendicular lille the exhaust-port will gradually enlarge in size on the side from which the piston is moving until it is fully opened, which is when the piston has made about two-thirds of its stroke. The power of the ily-wheel alld force of the stroke carry the piston the remainder of its stroke. On the returll-stroke the operatioll is the same as that just described.

The oscillating piston operates as a cut-od botll to the stealn-inductioll port alld to the exhaust-port by reason of the construction de scribed.

It' it is desired to regulate the stroke of the piston, a disk, M, provided witll a port, C, is tted withill the chest J, so as to be next to the partition I, alld its shaft extends through a stuing-hox on the side of the chest, wllere it is provided with a slotted arm, N, ill the slot of which fits a pin on the end of a rod, O, the pin beillg provided with a nut, so that the rod canbe held to different adjustments ill the slot, the other end ofthe rod being connected to all eccentric, P, on the fly or balld wheel shaft. \Vhen the disk is used the port bill partition I is elongated, so that as lollg as either of the ports ill the rockillg shaft and the port c in the disk travel together along the slot ill the partition for that length of time the steam ellters the piston alld exerts a pressure on the pistoll ill proportion to the amount of steam which has entered, alid the power is correspondingly increased. lf it is desired to decrease the power, the rod() is adjusted in the slotted arln N, so as to quicken the lnoveA nient of ther disk over the elollgated port in partition, and thereby shorten the time that the steam has to pass through into the illduction-ports A, whence results a smaller amount ot' steam ill the stealn-cylinder,a correspondingly-reduced pressure on the piston, alld a decrease of power. When the disk is used the steam is admitted illto the chest through the steam-pipe (shown in dotted lilies in Fig. 6) the salue as when both ends vof the rocking shaft of the pistoll extend beyond the boxes on both sides of the cylillder.

The principle upon which the pistoll works is unaffected by the use of the disk, the latter being used only to regulate the force of the stroke. Suitable packings, Q, areset illto grooves in the top B, so as to bear against the rocking shaft E about the exhaust-port L, as sllowll ill Figs. 3 and 5. A groove is formed in the edge of the piston, so as to receive any suitable packing.

Instead of using a single piston a double one may be used-that is, there may be two wings inclillillg in opposite directions, eacll provided with a port opening at its lower elld on the face next to the top B, the two induction-ports in the rocking shaft being the sallle as in the forln illust-rated in the drawings, but then there should be two ports, b, ill the partitioll l, instead of one, as the stroke of the piston would not be lollg ellough to carry botll ports to the one port ill the partition. I prefer, however, the forln illustrated ill the drawings.

By causing the steanl to pass from the piston near its lower end a greater leverage is obtained thall when admitted illto the chaluber at its top, and by forming the exhaust as described the back-pressure that exists ill the use o ta collllnon D-valve is overcolne.

Havingdescribed lny invention, what I claim 1sillder provided with ports for the induction alld eductioll of steam, ot' all oscillating piston having a shaft at one elld provided witll all exhaust-port across its top, both shaft alld piston being provided with ports for the inlet of stealn through the shaft alld its exit on the face of the piston at or near its lower end. whereby, as the piston oscillates, the several parts are adapted to operate as set forth.

2. The cylinder A, provided with induction alld edllct-ioll ports, ill conlbillatioll with an oscillating piston having induetioll-ports and an exhaust-port, alld a diskmt, having all opening through it and all adjustable connection with the rod by which it is operated, by means whereof the size of the steam-illductioll port ill the cylinder is regulated, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A piston for an oscillating engine, colnposed of a shaft alld a piston-head with inductioll-ports through the shaft alld head alld an exhaust-port across the top of the shaft, substantially as set forth.

LAUGHLlN B. GREEK.

Witnesses:

C. F. GREER, (J. F. KEYS.

1. In all engine, the combination, with a cyl- IOO IIO 

